Glenn wrote: > If you don't know if you would have gone to hell but you > do know you could not enter God's kingdom, what are > you saying? To me, if you can't enter God's kingdom, > there only one other place to enter when you die; hell.
The problem here is that you are talking about me and what would have happened if I had died at that younger age. I believe that God not only foresaw that I would believe upon him one month later, but that he also foresaw and ordained for me to walk in that which he has called me to walk in. Your question is kind of difficult for me to answer because I have this perspective of God's hand of providence and foreknowledge. It is difficult for me to speculate about things that I do not know. I do believe that because of Adam's sin, the entire human race is separated from God. When a child is born into this world, he is not born with a relationship with God in the Spirit. That must come later, which is why we preach that men must be born again. Why is he not born with a relationship with God? Because of Adam's sin. Ex 20:5 "... I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation..." Romans 5: 12 ... by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men ... 14 ... death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression ... 15 ... through the offence of one many be dead ... 16 ... for the judgment was by one to condemnation... 17 ... by one man's offence death reigned by one... 18 ... by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation ... 19 ... by one man's disobedience many were made sinners ... So men are born into this world in a depraved condition. That depraved condition keeps them out of the Kingdom of God. But does that depraved condition cause them to deserve hell fire and eternal damnation? Romans 5:16 seems to indicate that, but I have a difficult time acknowledging that. There are other ways of understanding this passage. I know that the wages of sin is death. I am sure from the teachings of Jesus that men who reject Christ will suffer eternal damnation. But you bring up a child lost before birth. How can such a child be judged? Is he judged for that which he has not yet done, but God knows he would do? Is he not judged at all? Will there be another judgment after the Millenium for these individuals after they have had the opportunity to show their works, whether they be righteous or wicked? The Bible does talk about another sifting after the Millenium, and a final judgment then. I just don't know all the answers to these kinds of questions yet. There are several possibilities in my mind for how it might work. Perhaps some of us who are willing might explore Romans 5 together and discuss the concept of Original Sin and whether or not it implies condemnation upon newborn children from the moment they are born. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
